Is this even incorrect? It's related to the split infinitive, but not really.

Chris P · Sep 7, 2011

Not having formal training in all the ins and outs of what parts of sentences and stuff are called (I learned my grammar on the mean streets of scientific peer review) I sometimes encounter things that look like errors but I'm not sure.

Issue: Placement of adverbs. It is a split infinitive to put an adverb between the "to" and the verb: "To really split your infinitives, put an adverb between the 'to' and the verb."

However, is the following placement of the adverb an error? "We can scientifically evaluate the effects of . . ."

Should it be "We can evaluate scientifically the effects of . . ."? Let's assume here the adverb is necessary.

Terie · Sep 7, 2011

Chris P said:
Not having formal training in all the ins and outs of what parts of sentences and stuff are called (I learned my grammar on the mean streets of scientific peer review) I sometimes encounter things that look like errors but I'm not sure.

Issue: Placement of adverbs. It is a split infinitive to put an adverb between the "to" and the verb: "To really split your infinitives, put an adverb between the 'to' and the verb."

However, is the following placement of the adverb an error? "We can scientifically evaluate the effects of . . ."

Should it be "We can evaluate scientifically the effects of . . ."? Let's assume here the adverb is necessary.

No.

An infinitive is the form 'to' + verb. 'To be', 'to evaluate', 'to sing', and so on. 'Can evaluate' is not an infinitive form, so it's perfectly proper to stick an adverb in there if you want.

Duncable · Sep 7, 2011

First of all, I think it's pretty acceptable these days "to boldly split" one's infinitives.

Second...I'm not the most grammatically correct chick out there, but the second one sounds weird when I read it out loud to myself. I would use the first example myself, but I believe they are both correct.

ETA: Also, what Terie said!

Fallen · Sep 7, 2011

Terie hit on the head.

Can I ask, though, is it a scientific paper? It's just that it made me question what exactly was most important here: the scientific evaluation, or the people carrying it out:

we (focus on the doer) can scientifically evaluate the effects of
v
the effect of (focus on the done)... can undergo scientific evaluation
or
Scientific evaluation (focus on the process) can underpin the effects of...

Chris P · Sep 7, 2011

Fallen: Yeah, it was in a textbook on forest insect pests. The text was:

In the past, human civilization and progress entailed clearance of some natural forest, but unfortunately we cannot scientifically determine how much of the tropical forest needs to be retained.

Passive voice is much more common in scientific literature, and if the sentence had read ". . . unfortunately the amount of tropical forest needing to be retained cannot be scientifically determined" (changing the importance from "who" to "what," as I think it should be here) would resolve the issue. Good catch!

Duncable: I too agree the second one sounds stilted; which in scientific writing can be an advantage. In fiction dialog we can do whatever we want. But . . . we have rules for a reason

Terie: Thanks! I knew it wasn't a split infinitive by definition but I didn't know if it was an error by some fancy pants name.

Rufus Coppertop · Sep 7, 2011

Terie said:
No.

An infinitive is the form 'to' + verb. 'To be', 'to evaluate', 'to sing', and so on. 'Can evaluate' is not an infinitive form, so it's perfectly proper to stick an adverb in there if you want.

Not only is "can evaluate" not infinitive, it's actually two verbs; "can" and "evaluate". "Can" might be intransitive and auxiliary, but it's still a verb.

On the subject of split infinitives, go for it! Split them with gusto!

The breach of such a stupid rule is something which we all need to bloody mindedly perpetrate! :evil

Some idiot or cluster of idiots somewhere, somewhen, decided that because it is literally impossible to split the infinitive in Latin, we should be deprived of doing so in English. Bugger that!

Is this even incorrect? It's related to the split infinitive, but not really.

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

Duncable

I iz a lady, ppl. Srsly.

Fallen

Stood at the coalface

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Rufus Coppertop